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The 2015 Wellness Promotion Policy Annual Report

The School District of Palm Beach County, Florida

External Collaboration - PBC Food Bank

The District’s Wellness Promotion Task Force collaborated with the Palm Beach County Food Bank to collect non-perishable food for hungry families in the community for a third year during the 2014-2015 school year. This collaborative effort is titled the “Soul Source Project.” Since The School District of Palm Beach County is so large, it is the perfect platform to raise awareness about local hunger and work toward making positive changes in the community. With the motto of “People Helping People” in mind, a significant amount of food was collected during the 2014-2015 school year.

The “Soul Source Project” held collection periods throughout the school year for individual school and district staff members to donate their non-perishable goods. “Soul Source Project” Green Bins were placed at each school site, and at the Fulton-Holland Educational Services Center. Staff members were able to drop their donations in these Green Bins to be compiled on the scheduled collection dates within the school year. The School Food Service Manager at each school location served as the conduit for bringing the collected non-perishable goods to the collection sites on specific dates. The non-perishable goods was then weighed by the Palm Beach County Food Bank, and donated to families in need.

During the 2013-2014 school year, the “Soul Source Project” collected a total of 3,077 pounds of food.

In Palm Beach County, there are over 175,000 residents who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and over 57% of our children attending school receive free or reduced meal benefits. According to Feeding America, almost 16% of Palm Beach County residents often do not know where their next meal will come from.

In the county, there are more than 100 agencies that take on the responsibility of feeding the hungry. These agencies range from small churches that operate food pantries (distribution of canned goods) to larger soup kitchens that prepare at least one hot meal per day (like Boynton Beach Soup Kitchen or CROS Caring Kitchen, etc.). The Palm Beach County Food Bank is an organization that distributes to these agencies but the annual need is close to 35 million pounds of food. Every agency that operates a feeding program is scrambling for food because the current supply is woefully inadequate to meet the need.The Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Quantum Foundation, the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, Allegany Franciscan Ministries, United Way of Palm Beach County, the Lost Tree Village Charitable Foundation, and a number of other organizations, are supporting the growth and expansion of the Palm Beach County Food Bank.

The District’s Wellness Promotion Task Force in collaboration with the Palm Beach County Food Bank will collect, for a 3rd year, non-perishable food donations. Starting this October 2013, Green Bins will be placed by the Public Affairs Department and the Risk & Benefits Management Department in designated accessible areas in the Fulton- Holland Educational Service Center (FHESC).

In addition, at each district-wide Wellness Promotion Task Force meeting Green Bins will be placed at the entrance to the School Board Room for Wellness Promotion Task Force attendees to donate to this project.

The need in our community is great and we need the support of our school leaders, staff, and the community to feed the hungry in Palm Beach County.